


Grades

by sweeetbabe



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Family Fluff, Hinny, James Sirius Potter Needs a Hug, Potter Family-centric (Harry Potter), fluffff, harry is just a good father, james sirius is a good boy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-14
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-03-15 14:14:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,299
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29437368
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sweeetbabe/pseuds/sweeetbabe
Summary: They are not at home when the bird arrives with James' OWL grades.orJames Sirius is concerned about his future and the parents' reaction to it
Relationships: Harry Potter/Ginny Weasley
Comments: 8
Kudos: 29





	Grades

**Author's Note:**

> I love writing about James, and I've wanted to write this for a long time, and thanks to @startanewdream I had the idea of how to do it  
> thanks to @deadwoodpecker for helping me with this one shot  
> and I'm sorry for any mistakes ahaha
> 
> tell me what you think!

They are not at home when the bird arrives with James' OWL grades.

On that vacation they decide to stay in England, but Harry and Ginny manage to take a short break so they can spend a day at their country house, enjoying the waterfall, fishing, relaxing in the silence far from the city and any other human besides them. 

Teddy and Albus go out to study the birds that fly by, James and Ginny continue to do their morning training, but now, just running to the waterfall and coming back, and Lily and Harry are responsible for the meals - which has been pretty late almost every day, since everyone has taken the opportunity to sleep more than normal.

It’s been an amazing few days. Yesterday's fishing yielded a generous dinner, and today Harry thought he would risk having a barbecue; maybe Teddy would help him fetch firewood and they could and they could chat about Teddy’s not-so-bright idea to move out of the apartment he shared with roommates and live alone.

Harry had all day planned in his head, waking up earlier than usual by some father's instinct and going to prepare breakfast for everyone, even baking a chocolate cake that Albus had asked him to make last night. Everything was normal, until the gray owl with a puffy chest, landed on top of his newspaper on the table.

It was the day, Harry thought, looking at the date on the newspaper and then at the owl again, watching that paper that was wrapped around her paw. That was why he was feeling worried and anxious, today the result of James' OWL was coming out. OWL’s that for the letters that Lily sent, James had dedicated himself entirely.

The boy was smart, much more than he let on, and neither he nor Ginny expected anything less from the boy, but James was still a 15-year-old who occasionally got involved with girls and spent his time trying to understand them. Harry felt a hint of concern deep in his heart. They never talked about the options that the son wanted to pursue as a career, but everyone always pointed out that he would always have the Ministry doors open for him; whether to be an Auror, or to work in another Department.

Harry didn't know if that thought pleased him, but if that was what James wanted, he could only accept it.

Facing the owl then, he gave her the finger to nip it a little before undoing the knot and taking the paper with shaking hands, anxious as if it were his notes. When free, the owl flew to the owlery. he and the boys had built, looking pleased to be able to rest and eat good food. Harry sighed.

Should he wake up James? Should he open and see it before everyone else? Should he expect everyone to be awake? Heavens, no one taught you about it.

Before he knew how to proceed, the oven beeped and the smell of baked cake made Harry wake up for now, dropping the paper along with the other letters that eventually reached them, and set the breakfast table up again

Everyone was still sleeping and outside the sky was still a little cloudy, but it didn't look like it would be cold or rain, which was great for today's plans, Harry thought, spilling the chocolate syrup over the cake and now and then looking at the letter. It was still sealed. 

What if James had failed? He would not like to know that he failed in front of everyone, when the brothers looked at him with such expectation… Albus still looked at James as if he were a great superhero, even though the eldest did not realize how much his brother paid attention to what he said. And Lily was very attached to him, always wanting to be around, clamoring for his attention... No, if he failed, he would hate to know that in front of everyone.

But would James fail? Harry thought, dropping the dirty chocolate pot into the sink, returning to the fresh bread he and Lily had made yesterday afternoon, cutting the slices and preparing the toast. The boy was so smart, never having problems with his grades or because he messed up - too much - in class. Of course, he would not fail.

And even if he failed, Harry would still hug him and support him, because he was there regardless of the outcome.

Now if James got high marks they would have to celebrate in the best way. Maybe he would apparate in town and buy that ice cream that his son loved to eat.

‘’Cakes, pancake, bacon… any special reason for all this?’’ The arms covered in Harry’s gray robe encircled his waist, the long sleeves hiding Ginny’s delicate hands, the head resting on his back.

‘’I just sensed it was an important day.’’ He smiled, making the last toast and looking at her over his shoulder, meeting her with eyes closed. ‘‘James ’notes arrived.’’ And in the next instant, the woman was staring at him with big brown eyes.

''You opened? No, we shouldn't open... Or should we? We shouldn't.'’ Ginny denied, moving away from Harry and going over to where the mail was, taking the paper in her hand. ‘’Of course he did well, but do you think he’s nervous about the result?’’

‘’He doesn’t seem to be. In fact, I don't think he even remembers.’’ Harry admitted, also looking at the closed letter. ‘’Do you want to wake him up?’’ He sighed, anxious as he was, trying not to think too much about the future that James had ahead of him. He was great at Charms and Potions, in fact, even in Astronomy he was always keeping great grades and never seeming to have a hard time understanding. What the boy sometimes lacked was a little commitment, he preferred to spend hours flying and disappearing through the castle, rather than dedicating himself to his studies.

If he tried, he could work in the Department of Mysteries, or even in the Department of Magical Games and Sports.

‘’Yes, I think he’ll be less nervous if I go. You know how sometimes you end up scaring the kids.’’ Ginny laughed, dropping the letter and returning to her husband, who had just put everything under the table, and kissed him quickly.

‘’I was thinking,’’ He spoke in the middle of the kiss, then walked away and walked through the kitchen. ‘’Maybe I’ll give up the barbecue and we’ll have lunch at that restaurant he loves.’’

‘’Let the boy wake up first, love, and then we’ll see what to do.’’ She blinked and left the kitchen, leaving him alone there again.

Through the window, it was already possible to see the blue and almost cloudless sky, a good breeze swayed the trees surrounding the house, the song of the various birds echoing through the woods nearby, while Sir, their dog, chased a squirrel through the backyard, dirty with old leaves and mud, making Harry think that again the animal had tried to catch a fish in the river.

It was good that they were out of the house and away from everyone. Harry loved his family, the Weasleys were everything he ever wanted, but they were also too numerous and as much as James was a much more outgoing boy than his father was at that age, Harry thought his son would want some privacy when the notes arrived, which he certainly wouldn't have, since Fred probably also received his notes, as did Dominique.

Everyone should have known that today was the delivery of the OWL results, and Harry thanked them that they had no way to call to see how James had done. At that time, all the children looked very much like him, reserved and preferring a moment alone first, before telling everyone how they had done.

While he waited, Harry sat at the table, looking at all that waiting food and all the cups and plates. How many times he made the Dursleys' breakfast and hated having to cook for three people he hated, and how he now happily cooked their meals, and waited anxiously for his children to praise him. It was kind of silly, but Harry thought the best part of the day was that, when everyone sat together to eat and talked about everything and nothing.

Last morning, Lily woke up with a series of questions about the most random things possible, and while she helped her father set the table, she made sure not to be quiet and ask everything; what were dreams? Could Sir be a human trapped in his animagus form? How were wizards born? Why weren't all humans doing magic? Was there an afterlife?

Harry did his best to answer each one, letting his daughter ask even more questions with each explanation, and then answer those questions as well. It was a unique moment, Lily was in her first year at Hogwarts, and Harry felt alone when he prepared coffee for only himself and Ginny for the rest of the months. He loved it when his children said everything that came to mind.

Albus also always had questions, but he preferred to just ask them and then answer with his own theories, and then digress about something he did that year. He didn't like to cook with his father, as Lily did, preferring to just sit next to him and talk nonstop, asking Harry about Auror's work, sometimes about his father's years at Hogwarts, and very rarely, about the War.

James, unlike the two, did not ask many crazy questions, just gossiped about the year, and about students in his class that Harry clearly did not know, but listened with the same pleasure as he asked Lily's questions and Albus's theories. James loved to know what everyone was doing, so now and then he would tell his father about some new couple that had formed that year, or something he had done with his friends. But as much as the older son looked a lot like Harry, less the eyes, the eyes belonged to Ginny, James got along much better with his mother.

Ginny knew how to read James like no one else. They had those hours where they trained together, and Harry suspected that his son would tell her all his secrets, because it was not possible that she would always know what was going on with the boy.

Harry would never tell, but sometimes he envied that communication a little.

Albus always went to him to ask for help, Lily was very attached to his father too, but as much as James always seemed to want Harry's opinion on things, he would always call his mother first, since he was little. If he had a nightmare, it was Mom who would help him. If he wanted the cookies that were hidden in the tallest cupboard, it was for mom he asked for. And sometimes Harry felt like a jerk for feeling jealous about it, and how they talked in silence several times, even at the table. 

‘’Good morning,’’ James murmured, sighing as he followed his mother into the kitchen as if he were a ghost, and even with the early morning heat , the boy was hiding in a red sweatshirt. ‘’Hm, cake.’’ He smiled, going to sit in his usual place, but pausing when he realized that there was no one else there and that his parents looked at him with great expectation. ''What did I do? I barely woke up, it is not possible that I already got into trouble.’’ Ginny laughed, denying and removing the cap from the boy’s sweatshirt before standing next to Harry.

‘’You didn’t do anything, I promise.’’ The two smiled at each other, as they always did. ‘’Just something came for you.’’ She walked over to where the cards were, taking the one that would define a lot in that young man’s life, and handed it to him, then sat on the chair next to Harry. ''Your scores.''

''My ... Oh, my.'' James's eyes widened, picking up the letter and seeming to shake slightly, before blinking and looking at his parents. ‘’I may have failed miserably.’’

‘’Or it may have gone very well.’’ Harry reminded him, smiling anxiously. ‘’You don’t know yet.’’

‘’I’ll only know when to open it ... But I may never open it, so we don’t have to deal with it.’’ James dropped the letter on the table, looking at his parents and shrugging. ‘’Let’s tell everyone that I took 10 OWL and no one will ever know.’’

‘’We’ll know.’’ Ginny warned, taking the letter and handing it back to him. ''Open it.''

‘’Why this pressure? Can't I do this later?’’

‘’James, aren’t you anxious? It's your future.’’ Harry smiled at his son, his eyes sparkling. ‘’You may have so many options depending on your grades... The ministry- ‘’

‘’ -The door is open for me, I know.’’ The boy looked down, his cheeks a little flushed as he shrugged. ‘’I know it’s important, I just thought I could eat a piece of cake before I thought if I’m going to be a successful man, or a failure.’’

‘’It’s not just what will define you,’’ Ginny said, calm down. ''You are much more than a grade, but now, that grade is important to help you know which way you want to go.'' They were silent, Harry almost starting to bite his nails with such anxiety, then, finally, James sighed and pick up the letter again.

‘’I don’t even know what I want to do.’’ He said.

‘’There’s a sea of options.’’

‘’A sea of options at the _Ministry_.’’ James countered Harry, still not looking at his parents, staring at the paper as if he wanted to burn it with the force of a look.

‘’Well.. yes.’’ Harry shrugged, not quite sure what his son was getting at with that. ‘’There are other places where you can work.’’

‘’You might want to be an auror,’’ _Please don’t_ , Harry thought, his protective instinct burning in his chest just at the thought that his son would see half of what he had seen in all his career years. ‘’Working with alchemy, with spells, in the newspaper. There are many places to work, depending on your grades.’’

‘’Yeah… it might be.’’ James smiled, calmly opening the letter, as if he wanted to postpone it as long as he could.

‘’Jamie ... what’s wrong?’’ He asked, concerned as any parent would be to see his son so discouraged about his future.

‘’What if I don’t want to be any of this?’’

‘’Any of.. what?’’ Ginny raised her eyebrows, also looking concerned and curious.

‘’What if I don’t want to work at the Ministry? Or with spells, or... what if I don't want any of that?’’ He pointed to the semi-open letter, looking even a little desperate. His brown eyes were colder than Harry had ever seen them, almost as if James felt pain in admitting that. ‘’What if I don’t want to be anything that everyone says? Are you going to be mad?’’ His eyes shone with tears that soon disappeared, making Harry’s heart break into a thousand pieces.

‘’What do you mean by that?’’ Ginny whispered, for the first time, also not seeming to understand James.

‘’Everyone always says that I should be an auror like dad, or work in some department, that the Ministry will always be open to me, but... what if I don’t want to? What if none of those notes are really important to what I want to do? ’’

‘’And what do you want to do?’’

''I want to... fly.'' James whispered, and this time a tear escaped his eyes. ‘’I don’t see myself in an office like you dad, sorry, I...’’ More tears came on and on, even when he tried to dry his eyes and seem to swallow his tears. ''I want to play, like mom, and I know that maybe it will disappoint you, but- '' Harry didn't hear the rest, his aching heart in his chest making him get up and go to James, hugging him tighter than he remembered to have done in the past few days.

‘’James, never say that, please.’’ He murmured, holding the boy close to him, looking at Ginny who was sitting with wide eyes towards his son, before blinking and standing up to hug him too. James continued to cry in Harry's chest like a child who had fallen from the tree, squeezing his father's waist as if he was afraid he would disappear.

Harry wondered when he hinted that he would be disappointed if James wanted to pursue a Quidditch career or some other. He wondered where he went wrong to make his son think like that.

''I'm sorry if I made you think that, but it's not true James.'' Harry continued, stroking the boy's hair. '’Look at me.'' The son did, pulling his head away from his father's chest and staring at him, crying red brown eyes.

James was not a boy who hid feelings, Albus was, James was much more sentimental than Lily at times, but Harry hated to see him cry. He preferred to see the boy fighting with his siblings, or with his parents, and rolling his eyes, than to see him cry.

‘’I’m your mother’s number 1 fan, what made you think I wouldn’t be yours too?’’ The boy shrugged, lowering his gaze, then looking at his mother.

''I don't know... that time at the Ministry... that wizard said you should prefer to have two Albus, rather than a James, and so I thought... I thought you wouldn't want me to waste my intelligence.'' Harry was silent, the memory coming back to him like a punch in the stomach, remembering how Martin had joked and laughed, and how Harry just smiled politely and walked away from him, angry that anyone would think that. He didn't think James had paid attention, he had just returned from the cafeteria and was arguing with Albus about something they had seen there. Harry should have known that James would listen, should have paid better attention, than having been taken by the anger of someone daring to compare his children, even if only for fun. He should have defended James, but he was so tired of Martin that he just wanted to get out of there and take the two boys to buy Ginny's birthday gifts.

‘’James, Martin is a idiot who doesn’t deserve to be heard by us.’’ Harry took a deep breath, angry with himself. '’I'm sorry, I should have told him to fuck off, but I just couldn't take it anymore and I thought you guys hadn't heard. But I don’t believe what he said, even for a second.’’

‘’You don’t have to worry about that, Jamie,’’ Ginny finally spoke, her cheeks red as if she was trying very hard not to cry. ‘’Never, and I mean it, it will be true.’’ She blinked, her eyes suddenly moist. ‘’Martin knows nothing of what he talks about. Why do you think he is single?’’ The three laughed softly. ‘’You’re our boy, James, you always will be. We would not be happy with two Albus, two Teddy, two James or two Lily. We would not be happy without one of you existing.’’ She wiped the tears from her son’s cheeks, who continued to hug his father as if he were still a child.

‘’And it’s not a waste of intelligence.’’ Harry reminded him. ‘’Professional Quidditch is a lot more complicated than school, and you need to be smart to play. Look at your mom...She’s dumb?.’’ James laughed, denying. ‘‘I’m sorry if we made you think that we wanted you to choose one career and that the others didn’t matter. We are kind of stupid sometimes too.’’ James nodded, laying his head on his father's chest again.

''Thank you I love you.''

‘’Hm... what? Can you speak louder? I didn't hear what my teenage son just said to me.’’ Harry smiled, feeling as silly as he heard James calling him dad the first time.

‘’I love you.’’ James said louder. ‘’Even if you’re an old grouch.’’

‘’Hey!’’ Ginny and James started laughing together, looking at Harry who kept his face serious. ‘’We’re going to have lunch, but I don’t think you want to go out with that old grouch.’’

‘’Nah, I don’t care.’’ The son disengaged himself, drying his cheeks. ‘’At that restaurant near the mall?’’ James looked at his mom, which hugged him and kissed his cheek.

''Yea. But maybe we should stay at home ... you know how old people tend to get boring when they spend a lot of time outside.'' Harry teased, ruffling the hair of the boy who grimaced and ran his hands through the strands, trying in vain, tidy them up.

‘’I don’t care, I think I can handle the pain.’’ James shrugged, taking the letter again in his hands and finally finishing opening. ‘’If I fail, will we still have lunch outside?’’

‘’Yes.’’ Harry wanted to laugh, but he swallowed the laugh and looked at Ginny. ‘’Grades are important to teams, aren’t they?’’

''Yes. They don't like to hire dumb athletes.’’ She shrugged, looking at the letter. ‘’Open, let’s see how you did.’’ James took a deep breath, pulling the paper out of the envelope and they could read;

_**James Sirius Potter** _

_Arithmancy O_

_Divination A_

_Astronomy O_

_Defense Against Dark Arts O_

_Charms O_

_Herbology A_

_History of Magic T_

_Potions O_

_Transfiguration O_

_Care for Magical Creatures O_

_ Study of Ancient Runes O _

_Muggle Studies O_

‘’You had 9 OWL.s.’’ Harry almost shouted, taking the letter from his son so he could read better. ‘’My son is a genius!’’ There was much happiness in his chest, as much as he knew James was smart, there was nothing that had prepared him for that. ‘’A genius!’’ Harry repeated, hugging James even tighter as if he were still a child.

‘’I knew you weren’t just getting into trouble,’’ Ginny hugged the boy too, almost seeming to jump in excitement. ‘’I know you very well, I know you love to do a scale of studies, just like Hermione.’’

‘’I ... I don’t expect that .. And I was getting into trouble, believe me. How is this possible? It's wrong. Dad, it's wrong, it's the wrong Potter.’’ James took the paper in his hands, his eyes big. ‘’Are you sure they didn’t exchange letters?’’

‘‘Of course not, James, you’re the smart one.’’ Ginny kissed her son on the cheek, a smile from ear to ear looking like she wanted to tear her face. ‘’Albus! Lily! Teddy!''

''My boy is a nerd.'' Dramatically, and very happy to be able to contain himself, Harry put his hand on his chest, remembering all the times he received letters from Lily saying that his brother seemed really committed to studying, and how he had thought that perhaps his daughter was being deceived and did not realize that her brother was preparing to do something else. ‘’Your godmother will be so proud.’’

‘’I’m not a nerd! Nerds are ugly.’’ James grimaced.

‘’There are exceptions. Besides, girls like smart guys.’’ Harry blinked, just to laugh at how his son had rolled his eyes and blushed. ''I'm proud of you.''

‘’Thank you.’’ The son smiled sincerely, looking very much like that boy who loved to jump in bed and escape bath time.

Harry realized then how James always seemed to look for his approval in small things, like grades and career, the owl he wanted to take to Hogwarts, among other details that he had never stopped to pay attention to. James was always wanting, in a way, for his father to say he was proud of what he did.

Suddenly, he felt his heart melt between his ribs, the same feeling as when he saw the boy for the first time, soiled with blood and all that white goo, crying loudly enough as if he was irritated that someone had ended his party inside Ginny's belly, so small that Harry even trembled for fear of knocking him over.

''I love you very much, James, very much.'' Harry took advantage of the fact that Ginny had gone to wake the other children, still jumping and talking that her son was a genius, to be able to say that. ‘’And I’m very happy being your father, really, even when you’re a tough teenager who gets irritated by everything.’’ The son at least blushed in shame. ‘’I’m very proud to be your father, I’m sure you’ll be a great player.’’

‘’Better than mom?’’

‘’Hm... you don’t play in the same position to be a fair competition.’’

‘’Better than you, then?’’ Harry laughed, nodding.

''Without a doubt... But promise me that you will continue to study and dedicate yourself, and that you will at least try not to get into too much trouble.'' The two stared at each other, Ginny's brown eyes shining towards Harry, while James seemed to think about the proposal.

''I will try. Dedicate myself and not get into trouble. But you know how things are, problems find me.’’ The boy shrugged, that confident smile that made Harry get wrinkles and white 

hair, shining on the boy’s face.

‘’Always the wrong place and the wrong time, right?’’

‘’Yes, it’s impressive.’’ The two sat on the chairs opposite each other, and Harry cut a piece of the cake to serve James.

‘’I know how it is,’’ Harry smiled, remembering his teenage self.

‘‘It’s the Potter heritage.’’ James winked at his father, laughing softly as soon as Ginny entered the kitchen being followed by the other three. ‘’Teddy, you won’t believe... I’m smarter than you...’’

**Author's Note:**

> follow me on tumblr: @sweeethinny :)


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